A favorite of the needle-averse, the spray had not appeared to work as well against H1N1, a strain of the flu, in the last few seasons, according to the public health agency. But it's expected to work better this year, according to the CDC and Dr. Andrew Pavia, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Utah Hospital.

It's an encouraging sign, especially after an especially virulent flu season. In fact, the CDC said earlier this year, more than 172 children died of flu-related illness in the 2017-18 season, the highest on record when it comes to youths for a single season.

In Chicago alone, intensive care units saw more than 580 influenza-associated hospitalizations, city officials reported, a trend that peaked in January. Across the state, close to 2,300 were hospitalized, according to the state health department. Both city and statewide, most admitted to intensive care units were age 65 and older.